Amtrak train info w/pics!All Aboard-Choo-choo!UPDATED

[GetGlowing]

Thanks, Pepe!

 

[McTyee]

We took the train from Chicago to LA when we went to Disneyland. Loved that trip!

 

[lisa-upnorth]

always glad to hear about a great trip on the train

 

[luvndizny]

So I booked all 4 of us for next month...and curious about rewards points. So far only I have signed up- reserving all 4 tickets using my CC (not Amtrak CC)...shouldn't I get 2 X $ spent = # of points on my account? I looked on the Amtrak website itself and it reads just that "earn 2 points for every dollar spent". So at $270 total spent, that's 500 sign-up bonus plus the 540 extra...equals 1040 points for this trip. Correct? (Wondering as someone wrote something about only the ticketed person signed up with the rewards program getting the points for only their ticket cost.)

By the way (and no I am not a rep for Amtrak I swear- LOL!) just wanted to say I think that is a bangin' deal- $270 total- military discount applied- for 2 adults, 2 kids from NC to ORL round trip! We may become true rail addicts if this trip works out for us!! Am already looking at costs to go to DC, NY, etc.!

 

[lisa-upnorth]

So I booked all 4 of us for next month...and curious about rewards points. So far only I have signed up- reserving all 4 tickets using my CC (not Amtrak CC)...shouldn't I get 2 X $ spent = # of points on my account? I looked on the Amtrak website itself and it reads just that "earn 2 points for every dollar spent". So at $270 total spent, that's 500 sign-up bonus plus the 540 extra...equals 1040 points for this trip. Correct? (Wondering as someone wrote something about only the ticketed person signed up with the rewards program getting the points for only their ticket cost.)

By the way (and no I am not a rep for Amtrak I swear- LOL!) just wanted to say I think that is a bangin' deal- $270 total- military discount applied- for 2 adults, 2 kids from NC to ORL round trip! We may become true rail addicts if this trip works out for us!! Am already looking at costs to go to DC, NY, etc.!

Glad to hear about your great deal Hope you enjoy it and love the train. As for the points-you should get the 500 for the trip-after that I am not sure if you will get points for everyone's ticket or just yours. Please let us know when they get applied I think you will only get points for your ticket since you are the only one with a member #
Also, you should look at the amtrak credit card. BIG 1st use award of points AND when you buy your tickets with it you earn points twice!! Once from them and once from Amtrak It's a great deal. Then just pay the credit card that same day so you don't carry a bal and get interest.

 

[GetGlowing]

We returned from our first WDW Amtrak trip less than 24 hours ago. We know it won't be the last!

Some comments:

• Seats are comfortable but can take a while to figure out how to sleep.
• Bring an eyecovering. Lights are dimmed on the train for overnight (about 10pm) but the aisle light is still relatively bright. DH used a bandanna around his eyes. I used my hoodie. But an eye mask might have been better. You can get them cheap -- check travel aisle at Wal-mart or Target or the pharmacy near other eyecare items. I looked at them but didn't buy one. I'll take one next time.
• Bring a blanket.
• Each seat on the Silver Star had a standard double electric outlet that we used to charge cell phones and laptop.

The best part is that when we arrived in Florida, we did not have that "ugh I've been riding in a car all day" feeling. It made WDW seem SO much closer than it actually is!!

Most of our trip was in the dark, but I have a few photos from the train and the rest of the trip here if anyone wants to look.

Special thanks to whomever on the forum suggested Kissimmee depot rather than Orlando!!

 

[pepe of ohio]

We returned from our first WDW Amtrak trip less than 24 hours ago. We know it won't be the last!

Some comments:

• Seats are comfortable but can take a while to figure out how to sleep.
• Bring an eyecovering. Lights are dimmed on the train for overnight (about 10pm) but the aisle light is still relatively bright. DH used a bandanna around his eyes. I used my hoodie. But an eye mask might have been better. You can get them cheap -- check travel aisle at Wal-mart or Target or the pharmacy near other eyecare items. I looked at them but didn't buy one. I'll take one next time.
• Bring a blanket.
• Each seat on the Silver Star had a standard double electric outlet that we used to charge cell phones and laptop.

The best part is that when we arrived in Florida, we did not have that "ugh I've been riding in a car all day" feeling. It made WDW seem SO much closer than it actually is!!

Most of our trip was in the dark, but I have a few photos from the train and the rest of the trip here if anyone wants to look.

Special thanks to whomever on the forum suggested Kissimmee depot rather than Orlando!!

Getting off in Kissimmee is a breeze.....some hate waiting for the next stop, but we enjoy the small station, only a few detraining, easier bag retrieval and on our way. I should have posted about the eye shield in my other posts, I use one plus ear plugs....but I mostly have an Ipod plugged in my ears but for reading and drowning out the odd noised during the day, ear plugs help and of course the blanket.....

We also feel so refreshed after our train trip, though a bit grubby, we're on for 36 hours, six hours of that is a lay over in DC but once we hit Kissimmee, getting excited to be in Florida again and detraining and feeling the Florida sun, sure beats car travel...nothing better than spending 2 weeks without driving, navigating traffic, finding a parking spot or worrying about break downs ....love riding the rails.....glad you did too............

 

[sorul82?]

GG,

Thanks for the photos! We will be on the Silver Star in April. The seats seem a bit smaller than I remember, but I think I used to ride the Palmetto.

 

[Miffy]

Just booked our December trip: NYC-Orlando round trip on Amtrak. We'd been hesitating and thinking about the plane--cheaper, since one of us insisted on a roomette--but when I looked on the Amtrak site yesterday and saw that the roomette price for the outbound trip had already increased from $206 to $282, I realized I had to book the trip now if we were going to get the lowest prices.

By booking the afternoon instead of the morning train to Orlando, I was able to get the roomette for $206, so the total fare for 2 adults was $826.80--roomettes both directions and this includes the 15% Orlando Magicard discount, which applies only to the coach fare. The roomettes were not discounted.

I'm really looking forward to taking the train. I love train travel and haven't slept in a roomette in many years. There used to be an overnight train with roomettes from Penn Station NY to Montreal, but now it's a day trip.

Also, wanted to let everyone know about the Orlando Magicard discount. It's 15%, which, I believe, is the biggest discount Amtrak gives for anything (except advertised specials), i.e., it's comparable to the military discount and Student Advantage, and I think it's more than AAA (which is 10%? I may be wrong about that). No fee to get an Orlando Magicard. Just print one out from their website. The code you need for the Amtrak discount is on their website.

Thanks to all the Amtrakkers on this board who were so helpful. You guys are the best!

 

[kennethsrib]

we just booked our trip from Albany to ORL . We didn't have enough $ to book before the price increased, but still its a great deal. Tried to use the magiccard discount but our travel dates are blackout dates, so we are using our AAA. Staying offsite, so we rented a car through Hertz for the week and used two discount codes and got a great deal there too.

 

[lisa-upnorth]

Just booked our December trip: NYC-Orlando round trip on Amtrak. We'd been hesitating and thinking about the plane--cheaper, since one of us insisted on a roomette--but when I looked on the Amtrak site yesterday and saw that the roomette price for the outbound trip had already increased from $206 to $282, I realized I had to book the trip now if we were going to get the lowest prices.

By booking the afternoon instead of the morning train to Orlando, I was able to get the roomette for $206, so the total fare for 2 adults was $826.80--roomettes both directions and this includes the 15% Orlando Magicard discount, which applies only to the coach fare. The roomettes were not discounted.

I'm really looking forward to taking the train. I love train travel and haven't slept in a roomette in many years. There used to be an overnight train with roomettes from Penn Station NY to Montreal, but now it's a day trip.

Also, wanted to let everyone know about the Orlando Magicard discount. It's 15%, which, I believe, is the biggest discount Amtrak gives for anything (except advertised specials), i.e., it's comparable to the military discount and Student Advantage, and I think it's more than AAA (which is 10%? I may be wrong about that). No fee to get an Orlando Magicard. Just print one out from their website. The code you need for the Amtrak discount is on their website.

Thanks to all the Amtrakkers on this board who were so helpful. You guys are the best!

Yeah!! Have a great trip. It is true that the early bird gets the cheaper train trip! I know my mom uses her Magicard but I don't have one-but will soon

Have fun!!

 

[lisa-upnorth]

we just booked our trip from Albany to ORL . We didn't have enough $ to book before the price increased, but still its a great deal. Tried to use the magiccard discount but our travel dates are blackout dates, so we are using our AAA. Staying offsite, so we rented a car through Hertz for the week and used two discount codes and got a great deal there too.

Have a great trip!!!!! Believe it or not the time flies by!

 

[lisa-upnorth]

bump up for Raenyny

 

[GetGlowing]

Wish we could take the train down for our cruise in September, but there are a variety of reasons why it's better for us to drive. But I wanna ride the train!!!

 

[lisa-upnorth]

someday you will !!!!

 

[pepe of ohio]

Wish we could take the train down for our cruise in September, but there are a variety of reasons why it's better for us to drive. But I wanna ride the train!!!

Once you go for it, you won't look back....we use regular Amtrak, no AT for us, we need no car in WDW and it's so much better than driving....we've done the drive alot many years ago...so tiring, cramped and stressful...

We did the Disney Cruise a few years ago in March and took the train....big snow storm shut down Amtrak a few days before we were to leave, had us worried but they got it all cleared up and away we went.....Philly train station had so much snow, as seen from the train windows across the country, we left from northeast Ohio to Florida, and the drifts were amazing....nothing greater than lounging in your seat, gazing out the window in total comfort rolling down the tracks and not driving in that stuff....

As I said, the train is less stressful, so nice to lie back and snooze, get up and walk around, hit the club car for a snack or drink as you make your way to WDW....no gas stops, potty breaks..weather....you ought to make it a point to give it a try...fairly cheaper than driving and no wear and tear on the old auto.....

Just wanted to add...when we did the Disney cruise in March, we spent the first night a the CBR so we could take the Disney cruise line bus to the port ( was a fee, but don't remember the price) so easy, we tagged all our luggage and they picked it all up....we boarded the bus and off we went...at the port they transferred all our luggage and supplies to the ship, we did the check in and by the time we got to our cabin...knock knock our stuff was being delivered......

Coming back was just as easy since we were headed back to WDW for 3 nights to enjoy the parks and unwind then board the train in Kissimmee to come hone....great way to do a Disney Cruise, leaving all the transportation headaches to them...

 

[GetGlowing]

We took the train down for the first time in February, which is why it's *so* annoying we can't do it for our cruise. We're sold!!

 

[sorul82?]

We took the train down for the first time in February, which is why it's *so* annoying we can't do it for our cruise. We're sold!!

Just curious why you can't take the train for your cruise?

 

[lisa-upnorth]

Hi folks

I just took another great train trip to Wash DC for 4 days over Memorial Day weekend. Union Station is AMAZING!!!! It is a must see for my train travel friends!I will post pics soon

 

[labfan]

I am in the planning stages of taking the train for our trip to Disney in May of next year. Daughter really does not want to fly, so I suggested the train. So the train it is. A new adevnture for us.
We will be leaving from Albany NY to the NY Penn Station and then onto either Orlando or Kissimmee.
A couple questions for those in the know.
Is it easy to find the next train you need to get on in Penn Station? Are they all located near each other or is it easy to get lost like you can with all the different sections of an airport?
Also, which station would be better to get on at and off at - Orlando or Kissimmee?
Do car services (not taxis) pick you at either of these stations? We are planning on having a limo or towncar for the ride to the resort as we do not want to drive.
Thanks for any help.